Knicks Could Lose Mavs' 1st-Round NBA Draft Pick from 2019 Kristaps Porziņģis Trade

Despite being eliminated from playoff contention Friday, the Dallas Mavericks may be able to keep their top 10-protected pick in the upcoming NBA draft that they traded away to the New York Knicks in exchange for Kristaps Porziņģis in 2019.

New York had the right to the Mavericks' pick, but only if it landed outside the top 10. That can still happen depending on the results of the NBA draft lottery on May 16.

But after their elimination from contention, they sit exactly at 10th in the draft order.

Dallas decided to sit five of its most important players ahead of the game against Chicago, including Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, Josh Green and Christian Wood. Superstar Luka Dončić only played the first quarter and the opening minute of the second before being taken out.

The NBA started an investigation into the Mavericks' decision to sit out all those key players.

"The NBA commenced an investigation today into the facts and circumstances surrounding the Dallas Mavericks' roster decisions and game conduct with respect to last night's Chicago Bulls-Mavericks game, including the motivations behind those actions," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said Saturday.

Before the game, coach Jason Kidd called it an "organizational decision." The team is also planning to sit out all the same players, including Dončić, in the regular-season finale Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Mavericks governor Mark Cuban was previously fined $600,000 in 2018 for admitting to tanking.

Meanwhile, the Knicks traded away a lottery-protected pick this year in the deal they made with the Portland Trail Blazers for Josh Hart ahead of the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 9.